Heaven got a little brighter this week as Jane Clare Brenan Erickson passed away on Monday, January 12, 2015. Her strong-minded character will be more than a little missed. She grew up splitting her time between Parkersburg, WV and Severna Park, MD with a father who worked for the Railway Express. She attended De Sales Heights Visitation Academy for Females and went on to earn her B.A. in Chemistry and French at Our Lady of Cincinnati College. Upon graduating she moved to Washington D.C. to work for the Army Transportation Corps, organizing troop movements under General Heileman. She was then recruited to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad, just blocks from the White House. A lifelong member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jane was the 4th great-granddaughter of William Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence for Maryland. She was an avid traveler, reader, and story teller – no doubt due to her rich family history (although, the stories about her grandchildren were embellished). Her true passion was her family, who could depend upon Jane as a problem solver, with firm opinions, rooted in deep devotion to her Roman Catholic faith. She was the utmost authority on etiquette, grammar, and hugs; and a source of unconditional love– that is, unless you tried to poke fun at West Virginia (the best state in the Union) or Ireland (the Motherland) and then, God help you! All were welcome in her home and would undoubtedly find a never-ending supply of “snicky snacks” to keep from going hungry between meals. She was an active member of Delaware Right to Life. She loved to golf at Newark Country Club, and to play bridge with friends. With a generous heart, Jane gave to any charity that asked for help and trusted that they would do well with the money…even if her children saw that it was reported as a scam on the internet. As she used to say “keep your standards high and stick to them.”

Jane was pre-deceased by her parents, Clara Belle Oliver Brenan and Mathew Bennet Brenan and her brother Edward Bennet Brenan. She leaves behind her blind date turned husband and dance partner of 60 years, Cornelius James “Jim” Erickson, 5 children: Margaret Erickson-Menton (Dennis), Mary Gorski (Mark), Cornelius James “Jim” Erickson II (Karen), Clare Vosteen (David), and Kathryn Korka (John); 18 grandchildren whom she loved to spoil, and one great-grandson whom she loved to make smile.

Viewing to be held at R.T. Foard & Jones Funeral Home, 122 West Main St., Newark, DE 19711, Thursday, Jan 15th from 6pm-8pm. Funeral to be held Friday Jan 16th at 11am at Holy Family Church, 15 Gender Road, Newark, DE 19713. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations in Jane’s name to Holy Family Parish Outreach and mailed care of the funeral home.